The causes of social inequality: how unemployment, low pay, poor health, lack of qualifications, discrimination and family circumstances contribute to social and economic inequality in the UK.

What this dot point is asking

This dot point sits in Section 2 of the SQA National 5 Modern Studies question paper, Social Issues in the United Kingdom. Candidates choose between two options, social inequality and crime and the law. This page covers the causes of social inequality: why some individuals and groups in the UK have less income, wealth, health and opportunity than others.

The key skill here is explaining causes, linking a cause to its consequence for inequality. Examiners ask describe and explain questions on the causes, and the topic feeds directly into the effects of inequality and the responses to it.

The answer

Social inequality means the unequal distribution of resources, opportunities and outcomes between groups in society, including differences in income, wealth, health, housing and education. It has several interlinked causes, and the exam rewards explaining how each leads to inequality.

Unemployment and low pay

People who are unemployed or in low-paid, insecure work have less income. They struggle to afford good housing, healthy food and opportunities for their children, so they remain poorer than those in well-paid, secure jobs. Insecure work, such as zero-hours contracts, can make income unpredictable, deepening inequality.

Lack of qualifications and education

People who leave school with few qualifications find it harder to get well-paid jobs, so they are more likely to be on low incomes. Because children in poorer households may have fewer educational resources and support, disadvantage can be passed from one generation to the next, sometimes called the cycle of poverty.

Poor health and disability

Long-term health conditions and disability can make it hard to work or to work full-time, reducing income. Poorer people are also more likely to experience poor health, so health and poverty can reinforce each other.

Discrimination

Some groups face discrimination in employment and society, for example on the grounds of gender, ethnicity, disability or age. Discrimination can mean lower pay, fewer promotions or difficulty getting work, so affected groups are more likely to experience inequality even when equally qualified.

Family and area circumstances

Family circumstances matter: children growing up in low-income households may have fewer opportunities. Where people live can matter too, as some areas have fewer jobs, poorer services and worse housing, which can trap residents in disadvantage.

Why some groups are more affected

Inequality is not spread evenly. Some groups are more likely to experience it because the causes hit them harder. For example, lone-parent families may have one income and high childcare costs; some ethnic minority groups face discrimination in the labour market; disabled people may face barriers to work. Explain questions often ask why a particular group is more affected, so be ready to link a cause to a group and a consequence.

Examples in context

If a source describes a person in insecure, low-paid work unable to afford good housing, that illustrates low pay as a cause. If a source describes a young person with few qualifications struggling to find work, that links to education. If a source describes a group being paid less despite equal skills, that points to discrimination. Matching the example to the cause is the exam skill.

Try this

Q1. Name two causes of social inequality in the UK. [2 marks]

• What the marker wants. Any two of: unemployment or low pay, lack of qualifications, poor health or disability, discrimination, family or area circumstances.

Q2. What is meant by the cycle of poverty? [1 mark]

• What the marker wants. The way disadvantage can be passed from parents to children, so poverty repeats across generations.

Q3. Explain how unemployment can cause social inequality. [3 marks]

• What the marker wants. Unemployment means a person has little or no income, so they struggle to afford good housing, food and opportunities, which keeps them poorer than those in well-paid work.

A note on sources

This guide is AI-written and not individually human-reviewed. The causes of inequality follow the published SQA National 5 Modern Studies course specification; verify current details and paper structure against the specification at sqa.org.uk.